Son of Venus
by Kousagi Moon
Summary: Minako reflects on her life during the Silver Millennium when she was Princess Mina...and of the son she lost.


Written back on my joint account that I shared with two friends before we dismantled it. Hope you enjoy, it's been edited slightly, and please leave a review. I always appreciate them.

**Son of Venus**

Minako couldn't forget, no matter how hard to she tried. And boy-oh-boy did she try hard. She wished to be like the other girls, to be so distant and far removed from the past, to barely recall things that happened over a thousand years ago, to live in the here and now, but it was so difficult when you remembered what Minako remembered...

It had all started with a forbidden affair between the Prince of Earth and the Princess of the Moon. In the early days, Venus, along with the other Senshi begrudgingly accepted their Princess's choice in lover, and did all they could to keep it a tight kept secret lest risk the wrath and fury of the powerful Queen Serenity. It had almost been simple, back then, lying about where the Princess was, escorting her to Earth in the dead of night. Deceptive, yes, but easy. Then things became more complicated. "I'm pregnant," was all the Princess uttered to turn their worlds upside down.

Back in the beginning, when Mina first told Queen Serenity that she was pregnant and would have to take a break from Senshi training the fair and noble Queen had told her to return to Venus to be with the child's father and relax, whom she automatically assumed was Venusian as well._ If only she knew_, Mina thought. Graciously, Mina had refused and stated that the Moon Kingdom was now her home and that her duty was just as much to her Princess Serenity as it was to her unborn child. Her seemingly sincere words seemed to impress the beautiful queen. "At times like this, my dear Princess of Venus, I see why I made you the leader of the Senshi. For you are as selfless, brave, and dutiful as you are beautiful. I wish you and your child the best. Do go tell my dear daughter, she'll be delighted to hear you are with child." Her voice had been so sweet and her smile so pure that she had almost caused Mina to confess right then and there of her blatant lie, but again, she had held her tongue. She told herself she was doing the right thing, but she wasn't so sure anymore.

_Her_ son was born in the wee hours of the morning. There were no midwives, no doctors, only herself and Amy while Raye and Lita stood outside the room's doors standing guard. The child came into the world all blood and screams, both from it's biological mother and himself. Seeing Mina cringe at the the sight Amy quickly went to cleaning the newborn up. After that was taken care of Amy seemed to falter a bit. She glanced back and forth between the woman who laid in the bed, half conscious after going through five hours of agonizing pain, and Mina, the woman who stood at the foot of the luxurious bed, eyes wide and hands trembling.

"I..." Amy made her reluctance known. It wasn't until Serenity stirred with a simple nod did the blue haired girl finally give to the babe to it's mother.

Princess Mina of Venus.

Mina had stared down at the now sleeping child and wondered why in the world she had agreed to do this, to hide Serenity's little secret that would threaten to tear the galaxy apart. Yet again, for what seemed the millionth time Mina wanted to run and hide, screaming that this had been a mistake, and go to her dear Queen and confess all. She opened her mouth to speak, to apologize to Serenity for not being able to keep up her end of the deal just as tiny blue eyes opened sleepily Mina's breath stilled.

"He's beautiful," she said breathlessly as she stared down at the little forbidden miracle in awe. This child had the most amazing eyes she'd ever seen. _And he's yours_, a little voice told her in the back of her mind as she clutched the child closer to her chest.

Moments passed, "A name," Amy said quietly, still feeling very bad about all this deception that had been going on for the past several months. "The boy needs a name,"

Though Mina's body told her this child that was no older than fifteen minutes, who had been placed in her arms was hers, a part of her, a part she'd grow to despise, looked up from the child's entrancing eyes and to Serenity who had barely contained tears in her eyes. Mina's heart broke at the sight of her dearest friend so emotionally torn. "Serenity..." she began, perhaps to say she couldn't do this, she couldn't take this baby away from her, or perhaps to say that this child was hers to name, even Mina wasn't sure of her intention anymore.

"You name him, Mina," Serenity said with a sad smile. Burying her head in her hands she began to weep, and Mina knew why. For everything was losing, for everything the world wouldn't allow her to have.

When Mina had agreed to this months ago she had no idea what an incredible bond she'd feel for the child nearly instantaneously nor had she any idea how hard it would be to see her friend mourn the loss of a son that she could never have as her own.

"Edmund. Prince Edmund of Venus," Mina said softly. Amy gave her a curt nod. With that Mina left the Princess of the Moon's room and walked along with her escort, Raye of Mars, to her own room to await the rising sun and the bold lies she had to prepare to tell yet again.

The child was perfect, Mina thought to herself as she would cradle the infant in her tender embrace. Beautiful cobalt blue eyes, the softest locks of black hair she'd ever seen or felt, and not to mention the cutest button nose on a perfectly round face. He, as everyone said, was a true Venusian Prince. Gorgeous beyond belief, and Mina felt a surge of pride at their words. That is, until they swam and became bitter in her head and the truth threatened to spew out from her lips. Each time someone said how lovely her child looked, how he looked just like his mother with a dash of mystery, Mina was tempted to agree, but not without saying that she had no part in creating the perfect little creature.

A week after the child was born Queen Serenity requested an audience with Mina. Instantly the Queen fell in love with the child. "Why, what a perfect Prince of Venus he is!" she cooed at the happy, healthy baby boy. Mina swallowed the sourness in her throat and forced a smile. "I cannot keep you here, I'm afraid," Serenity had sighed. "Your parents, my dear cousin Aphrodite, wishes to meet her handsome grandson, and I would be cruel to deny her the privilege. I will arrange for you to be return to Venus in the next few days."

All Mina could do was smile and nod.

Exiting to the throne room Mina had told her child, "Say goodbye to grandma, little one."

Back on Venus deception had been easier to deal with. Not forced to see neither Serenitys all the time allowed Mina to indulge her fantasies that the child she held in her arms was hers, both by blood and love. She told her mother about her difficult birth, and how he took after his father, whom she refused to identify. She gossiped with other mothers about baby tips and fantasized about what kind of courtly man he would grow up to be. He was all hers, and Mina had never been happier.

Then, of course, turmoil came to the galaxy. An old sage on Earth had declared war on the Moon Kingdom. Mina knew what she had to do. Pushing her own personal feelings aside she knew she had to leave her son, her dearest Edmund on Venus where it was safe and return to the Moon to protect the Kingdom she loved so much. The Kingdom that had given her her child.

"I'll be back, Edmund," she swore to the infant before leaving. And she had every intention of returning, had it not been for fate.

Aino Minako of Earth was a lot different than Princess Mina of Venus, though in truth they were one in the same. Yet...Minako couldn't help they felt like they were galaxies apart, not just centuries.

On days like this, quiet, lazy days that the girls went to the Arcade after school her mind began to wonder. How much of the Silver Millennium did they remember, she wondered? Ami, Rei, and Makoto seemed to remember very little, if any at all other than they were Senshi sworn to protect the Moon Princess. Usagi seemed only to remember Mamoru. Mamoru was likewise. But she, Minako, remembered it all. Every last little detail down to the boy she hoped desperately she'd see one day again. She remembered her perfect boy and always would. The girls could never understand the sadness that crept into her eyes as she gazed off into space.

Maybe they could forget, but she couldn't.

~*Epilogue*~

It all happened so differently this time, yet it still felt familiar to her. Neo-Queen Serenity was to give birth to her second child, a boy the doctors had said, and somehow Minako had known it was time. It was his turn at reincarnation. Minako sat outside of the royal birthing room with Small Lady in her lap as she listened to the pained screams of her Queen, a queen who was once a Princess a long time ago.

"Minako-chan," Chibiusa called to her in between the screams echoing from the room. "Will mama and papa still love me when my brother is born?"

Minako caressed the girl's cotton candy hair and smiled gently. "They'll love you even more, because their hearts will be twice as big now."

The Prince of Earth had been born on a bright and beautiful spring day. After the King, Queen and Princess and spent alone time with their newest addition to the family, Minako and the other girls were welcomed in. And though she was prepared for it, or at least thought she was, Minako's breath stilled as she gazed at cobalt blue eyes from across the room. Composing herself she whispered so no one could hear her, "Welcome back, little Prince of Venus," and walked over to the bedside to join the others.

Many wondered why it was that Minako, Sailor Venus, has such and affinity towards the young Prince. The Prince of Earth who looked like his father but had the heart of his mother, but no one questioned that her love ran as deep as any mother's would. She had become like a second mother to the child, in fact.

Minako couldn't forget him, no matter how hard she tried in the past. Now, bouncing him on her knee as he giggled happily while drool came down his chubby chin, she thought to herself how very glad she was that she didn't forget him.


End file.
